Paradise
by Blue Skies Rusty
Summary: The Nine truly are cruel. A MartinOC oneshot written for a dear friend.


**A/N:**This is just a little something I whipped up for my dear friend Jett, based entirely on her favorite quote from the game.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. No, really. I don't own it! My brother moved out and took it with him. It's a sad fact.

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_"Bryndis." From far, far away she could hear her name. It was calling to her, trying to pull her out of the darkness. It was working. She didn't want to leave the darkness. It might have been lonely, but as she was being pulled away from it by the man's voice and the warm tingle of magicka that was surging through her, Bryndis was becoming aware of pain. She didn't much care for pain._

_With a furrowed brow, Martin watched the Nord woman before him. Since closing the Oblivion gate at Kvatch, she had been faithfully by his side, protecting and serving him like a true Blade. She was more than a Blade to him and for that, he hadn't left her side for the past few hours. He cast another healing spell on her and watched her eyes flutter open. _

_He sighed in relief. "Welcome back," he said quietly. She groaned in response and he smiled slightly. "You had us all worried." What he really meant was that _he_ was worried._

_Looking around the room answered her first question. She was in his quarters at Cloud Ruler Temple. "What happened?" Bryndis moved to sit up but Martin laid a hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back down. _

_"You closed the Great Gate," he explained. _

_For a moment Bryndis contemplated this. That meant she had gotten the Great Sigil Stone after all. Her memory of the World Breaker was hazy at best. All Bryndis could recall was a particularly large Dremora with a particularly sharp sword, which happened to hurt a lot. She couldn't even remember is she'd killed the beast. Bryndis was going to wager that she hadn't even gotten a single hit in._

_Having the Great Sigil Stone meant only one thing. "When do I go to Mankar Camoran's Paradise?"_

_Martin fidgeted and looked away. Bryndis narrowed her eyes at him. "I have been speaking with Jauffre," he began. She didn't like his tone or the way he was desperately searching for words. "We agreed that since we came so close to losing you at the Battle for Bruma, it would be best if Baurus went in your place."_

_"Martin." He couldn't even look at her. Not when she spoke in that tone of barely concealed anger. It sent of pang of guilt through his heart. "I'm going and that's final."_

_"No." Bryndis was taken aback by the ferocity of his voice and the determined gleam in his eyes. "I won't allow it. You were nearly killed retrieving the Great Sigil Stone and I won't risk losing you. Not when I can prevent it."_

_Her eyes softened. Reaching out, she put a hand on his cheek. "Oh, Martin." Her voice was a sigh as she searched his eyes. He closed his eyes and leaned into her calloused hand. "I wish things could have been different." The Nine truly were cruel._

_"Bryndis," he murmured as he placed his hand atop hers. "Promise you won't go after Manker Camoran."_

_She was quiet for a long time. "I'm sorry. I can't."_

_He opened his eyes and she saw the hurt and anger there. "I thought you--"_

_"Please understand," Bryndis begged, sitting up and wincing as she did. "This is something I must do."_

_"Very well." Martin's voice was resigned. "If that is what you truly want, I will not stop you." He got up from the chair he had pulled up beside the bed and moved to leave the room._

_"It's not." He stopped and closed his eyes. Bryndis continued. "It's not what I want. Not in the least." _

_"Then why?" He turned to face her and was shocked to see the tears welling in her eyes. Through all the hardships they had gone through together, he had never once seen her so close to breaking._

_"I'm bound by duty to protect you and the empire." Bryndis swallowed the lump in her throat. "I swore I would do whatever it takes to save Tamriel. This is what I must do."_

_For a moment he was quiet. Then, hesitantly, he asked the question that was burning away at his soul. "What... what _do_ you want?"_

_"You," she whispered._

_That was all it took. He was across the room before she could blink. He was holding her close, crushing her in a tight embrace. He was brushing her red hair back, gazing into her eyes. She was kissing him. She began to trail the kisses down his neck. He was quick to return the favor. Her skin tingled at the touch of his lips and a fire of desire began to burn inside her._

_Her linen shirt was being pulled off. His robes were pushed back to reveal his freckled shoulders. Her hands were exploring his back. His kisses were trailing lower and lower, past her collarbone. Jauffre was at the door, coughing loudly._

_The couple flew apart and turned to look at the older man who was standing at the barely open door with his back to them. "I beg your pardon, Highness, but we should prepare for the ritual."_

_"I will be there in just a moment." Martin barely concealed his annoyance with the old man. Jauffre gave a curt nod before closing the door and moving along. The monk-turned-emperor looked back to Bryndis. "I must go."_

_She nodded. "I understand."_

_"Are you sure...?" He trailed off._

_Bryndis nodded again, knowing what he was going to ask. "I'm sure."_

_Martin drew a deep breath. "Very well. We shall continue this when you return." There was a resolute tone to his voice making it seem more like a command that she survive Mankar Camoran's Paradise. "In the meantime, rest." He gave her one last passionate kiss before pulling his robe on and slipping out the door._

That had been hours ago. Bryndis now stood on the outer wall of Cloud Ruler Temple, looking out across the snowy landscape. She'd taken a short nap before rising and preparing her gear for the trip into the unknown world created by a madman. Her longsword was sheathed at her hip and the small reflect enchantment on her heavy armor had been recharged. Now all that was left to do was wait.

"Bryndis." She turned at the sound of her name. Baurus stood behind her, watching her. "They're waiting for you."

She took one last look at the land before her and committed it to memory. It could very well be the last time she ever saw Cyrodiil. Reluctantly, she turned away and followed Baurus inside.

At the far end of the hall, Martin was waiting for her with the relics she had collected arranged on the floor. Taking a deep breath, she strode across the room to stand before him. That morning's events flashed through her mind and a chill of desire ran down her spine. For a moment she wished she could say sod the world and retreat back to his room with him. By look in his eyes, she knew he was having similar thoughts.

"I'm ready," she said, breaking the tense silence that hung in the air. The other Blades had assembled to see her off.

Martin took a step closer to her. "Don't forget," he said quietly so only she could hear. "We have unfinished business." Bryndis pulled back slightly, catching the mischievous glint in his eyes. He whispered into her ear.

Her jaw dropped at the underlying meaning of his words. Before she could respond the portal opened and the unexpected pull of it cause her to stumble forward slightly. Bryndis was tossed around in a dizzying manner before she was quite suddenly deposited on solid ground.

The sheer beauty of Paradise was lost to her as Martin's parting words rang in her ears, holding her in shock. All she could see was the wicked smile on his lips and the glint in his eyes as he leaned forward and whispered in her ear, _"Shall I open the portal to Paradise?"_

Unsheathing her sword, Bryndis ran headlong into the mysterious world around her. To Oblivion with Mankar Camoran's Paradise! She had her own Paradise to get back to!

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**A/N: **Well there you have it. It's a shame I'm terrible with sexual tension and poor Martin is out of character or this might have actually been a decent story. Ah, well. Here's looking at you, Jett! 


End file.
